What is a good follower growth rate?

Key takeaways

A good follower growth rate for a small business is steady, positive growth among relevant people, not a high percentage. Calculate it as new followers minus lost followers, divided by followers at the start of the period, times 100. Steady monthly growth of relevant followers is healthier than a spike from one viral post.

• Growth rate = (new minus lost followers) divided by starting followers, times 100.
• Measure monthly and compare with your own 12-week average.
• Steady growth from relevant people beats spikes from viral posts.
• Small accounts grow faster in percentage terms. Do not compare with large ones.
• Check who the new followers are, not only how many.

How do you calculate follower growth rate?

Follower growth rate is the percentage change in followers over a period. Subtract followers lost from followers gained, divide by the number of followers at the start of the period, and multiply by 100. Measure monthly for consistency.

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What is a good follower growth rate?

There is no universal good rate, because it depends on account size, platform, sector and whether you are running paid campaigns. Small accounts grow faster in percentage terms, and published averages are dominated by large brands. The most useful benchmark is steady, positive growth among relevant people, compared with your own recent history.

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Why is steady growth better than a spike?

Steady growth usually comes from relevant people discovering consistent content. Spikes usually come from viral posts or giveaways and bring many people who will never buy. Spike followers engage less with your ordinary posts, which can lower reach for months.

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How do you check the quality of growth?

• Look at your newest 50 followers and label who they are.
• Check platform audience data for location and, on LinkedIn, job function.
• Watch engagement rate: quality growth usually holds or lifts it.
• Note enquiries from new followers.

What if followers are not growing?

Flat follower numbers are not necessarily bad if engagement, enquiries and branded searches are rising. Many local businesses serve a fixed market and should not expect endless growth. If all indicators are flat, check consistency, audience focus and whether your content gives people a reason to follow.

What does this look like in practice?

A UK independent gym grew followers slowly but steadily through consistent posts about member progress and classes. A local competitor ran a giveaway and doubled its followers in a week, then saw engagement collapse. Over the year, the steady gym's followers were mostly members and prospects; its class bookings from social media reflected it.

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What does a worked calculation look like?

An account starts the month with 1,500 followers, gains 60 and loses 15. Net growth is 45. The growth rate is 45 divided by 1,500, times 100, which is 3% for the month. Record it monthly and compare with your average for the last three months.

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What does healthy growth look like by business type?

• Local services: slow, steady growth from your area; a plateau is normal once you reach your local market.
• B2B: slow growth weighted towards target job roles and sectors.
• E-commerce: faster growth, with spikes around launches and campaigns.
• New businesses: faster early growth from existing contacts, then steadier.

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Next step

Calculate your monthly growth rate for the last three months and audit your newest 50 followers. Aim for steady relevant growth rather than a higher number.